Just for tonight
by Rapid Ruby
Summary: Rebel Fic!!!!!! Tess has one last night with Max! ~Complete~
1. Part 1

**Title: **Just for tonight   
  
**Author: **Ruby 

Email: randy_hart4@hotmail.com 

  
**Rating:** R   
  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. 

Couple: Max and Tess

  
Author's notes: I was listening to I can't make you love me by Bonnie Raitt and these story just came to me. It was meant to be just one part but I started writing the next part and then I started planning a sequel and so on from there. I have never written a rebel fic before so feedback would be great! 

Summary: Tess and Max spend one last night together.

Parts: 3/3

Just for tonight 

The rain beat softly against the window symbolising that the world was still turning however in the candle lit room the two lovers stood facing each other oblivious to the world outside as time seemed to stand still. 

Just for tonight would they be together, all they had was tonight to create the memories she would carry with her for the rest of her life, she reached out to him gently caressing his cheek. She swallowed back the lump that formed in her throat and blinked away the tears. The voices in the back off her head whispered to her. Telling her that she was touching stolen goods, that he didn't belong to her, he wasn't hers to touch, to love, to have and to hold. And if she was being truthful to herself, she would admit that she knew all along that he was never hers, that she knew he didn't love her the way she loved him. And it hurt, deep down inside of her she could already feel her world falling to pieces but she pushed it away, just for tonight. Tomorrow when morning came would she think about losing him, she would deal with the heartbreak tomorrow.

Turn down the lights;  
Turn down the bed.  
Turn down these voices  
Inside my head.  
Lay down with me;  
Tell me no lies.  
Just hold me close;  
Don't patronize.  
Don't patronize me.  

"Tess" He whispered her name, speaking it as if it was a prayer. He could sense that something was different tonight, there was something different about her, about the way she looked at him, the way she touched him, even the way she said his name was different. He wanted to ask her what was wrong so that he could fix it for her but the silent urgency in her eyes stopped him. He knew what she wanted and he was only too willing to give it to her. He traced her soft, pink lips with his thumb before leaning down and capturing them with a bittersweet fervour. His arms wrapped around her waist mating their bodies together as her arms automatically went around his neck pulling him even closer to her. His arms moved to her hips, supporting her as her legs wrapped around his waist. He moved towards the bed, not breaking the kiss as he laid her down carefully.

"Tess…" He whispered tenderly. As he lost himself in her blue eyes and in that moment he knew that he had to tell her how he felt. "Tess, I lo…"

"Max, please not tonight!" Tess said cutting him off "Just let tonight be about you and me, no words!"

Max frowned but didn't say anymore, the pleading look in her eyes enough to silence him. There would be other nights.

"This is in the way!" He stated tugging her shirt over her head to reveal a pale blue bra. His hand moved lower down towards her pants "And these!" he said pulling them off her to discover a pair of matching blue panties. He felt the air leave his lungs has he looked down at. She was breath taking. He pushed a rebellious curl behind her ear tenderly.

"You are so beautiful!" he said looking at her with an intensity that made her blush.

"I think someone is a little over dressed and I don't think that it is me!"  She whispered, her body burning for his touch.

"Whatca going to do about it?" Max asked playfully raising an eyebrow

"Stand up!" Tess ordered pushing him away from her.

"Tess…" Max began to whine reaching for her.

"Max, stand up!" Tess demand pulling him up

"What are you doing?" Max asked watching her hungrily

"Sorting out your clothes situation!" Tess said running her hands up his chest; her body ached with the need to be closer to him, for skin on skin contact. She started to unbutton his shirt, her hands trembling. 

"We don't have to…" Max started, his hands coming up to cover hers stopping the in their task. "We could just sleep. We have all the time in the world to do other things." 

Tess was torn between laughing and crying. Just sleep? When had they ever been able to 'just sleep'? All the time in the world, she wished it were true. She wished that she could spend the rest of her life with him but she couldn't, no amount of wishing was going to change that. Ever. She looked up into his eyes with longing "Max, I need you!" her voice sounded husky and foreign. He moved his hand letting her carry on her mission of undressing him and soon enough was standing wearing just his boxers.

"You have me!" He said running his hands down her back, her skin satin smooth under his fingertips. As he looked into her eyes he saw hopefulness and disbelief, taken back a little, he pulled her closer to him. It had never occurred to him that she might doubt his feelings for her. "You have me! Now and always I am yours!" He said forcefully.

'Cuz I can't make you love me.  
If you don't.  
You can't make your heart feel.  
Something it won't.  
Here in the dark.  
In these final hours,  
I will lay down my heart.  
And I'll feel the power.  
But you won't.  
No, you won't.  
'Cuz I can't make you love me.  
If you don't. 

_You have me! Now and always I am yours!_ Her heart stopped beating. She had waited her entire life to hear him say those words to her but now it was too late. She couldn't bring herself to believe it. Dreams didn't come true. Especially hers. And how was she meant to compete with the soul mate love that him and Liz Parker shared? How could he tell her that he was hers when she saw the way he still looked longingly at Liz whenever she was near? Tess loved Max, she loved him with all her heart but she couldn't make him love her so she had to leave him, had to end it before he did. She was setting him free but before she did she needed something to hold on to. So just for tonight she could have him. She would give him everything she had to offer; everything and then she would walk away. It would kill her no doubt but she had to be strong, had to do it not just for Max but for herself as well.

Her hands moved in a feather light touch across his sun kissed skin, her eyes closed as she let down all her walls and moved towards him. She stood on her tiptoes kissing a trail along his strong jaw, her hands cupping his face as her lips pressed more kisses all over his face before Max crashed his lips with hers passionately, his tongue sliding between her parted lips seeking out hers. The lovers touched each other with a desperate need, legs becoming tangled together as they fell onto the bed.

"Mine!" Max whispered as he nuzzled her neck, biting and sucking, leaving a mark that claimed her as his mate.   

"Always!" Tess moaned, her hands tangled in his hair, her body arched against his with uncontrollable longing. Her hands wondered down the resilient muscles of his back.

Max freed her breasts from the bra, gently kneaded and stroked her honey soft flesh. He captured a rose tipped nipple between his lips, taking it between his teeth, he tugged it gently causing a gasp of pleasure to leave Tess's lips. He showered the same attention to her other breast, the scent of her arousal hung heavy in the air, intoxicating him. He moved lower down, kissing a trail of fire along her already burning skin. 

I'll close my eyes,  
Then I won't see  
The love you don't feel  
When you're holding me.  
Morning will come,  
And I'll do what's right;  
Just give me till then  
To give up this fight.

"Max, I need you now" Tess whispered pulling Max up towards her face. She wrapped one of her arms around his neck, her hand playing with the ends of his soft hair while her other hand moved down the hardness of his chest. Her legs wrapped around his narrow hips.

"Tess" Max mumbled before kissing her feathery soft, his hands running through her hair. He entered her fully with a single thrust, burying himself deep within her.

Tess gasped in pleasure as he filled her completely. She arched up into his body, meeting his slow thrusts. They moved together in perfect harmony, lost in each other completely. She clung to him, her nails racking across his back, her body moving against his as she gave herself to him completely, dropping all walls, every touch, every look, every word was full of love, love that was all for him. She closed her eyes as she felt Max slowly pushing her over the edge into what could only be known as utter bliss. 

"Tess…" Max moaned her name while his hands caressed her body gently as he quickened the pace sensing that Tess was near her climax,  

Tess opened her eyes and looked up into Max's chocolate colored eyes, her breath caught in her throat as flashes hit her with the impact of bullets. Max leaving his pod. Max walking to the road holding Isabel's hand his other reaching out to Michael. Max getting off the school bus and seeing Liz for the very first time. Max and Michael driving in the desert. Max sitting with his parents watching TV. Max watching Liz and Maria talking in the hallway. Max watching Liz and Kyle with bitter resentment. Max healing Liz the day of the shooting. Max trying to push Liz away. Max and Liz sharing their first kiss. Max telling Liz that he loved her and always would.

Tess let out a cry and held back tears that threaten to fall. She pushed Max away from her forcing the flashes to stop as she broke the connection. She couldn't bear to see any more flashes that involved happy Liz moments. She moved away from him, covering her naked form with a sheet as she sat up. This was it. It was over. "Max…"

"You can't!" Max cut her off not wanting her to finish her sentence because he already knew what she was going to say. His closed his eyes trying to gain some control as his body shuddered with the satisfaction of release and his heart fell to pieces. The flashes had made his eyes sting as they showed him an apart of Tess that she had kept hidden. Her past had flashed in his mind, her loneliness as a child growing up. Her longing for a family. Her dreams of destiny. Her hatred for Nasedo as he lectured her on being above humans. Her love for Nasedo the only family she had as he told her stories about their planet and her past life. Her heartbreak as he pushed her away, the tears she cried as he told her he could never love anyone but Liz. Tess's first taste of happiness as Jim and Kyle welcomed her into their family. Her doubt about letting Max back in. Tess as she let go of destiny and welcomed his friendship. Her nervousness as their friendship deepened and they shared a kiss at prom. Her love for him that runs so deep yet never seemed enough. The nights she spent wondering how long it was going to be until he left her. Her heartbreak as she decided she would end it before he could.

She was leaving him.

"I am sorry Max!" Tess whispered, she picked her clothes off the floor and began to get redress as quickly as possible.  

"You can't just leave, Tess, we need to talk. I saw everything." Max stated, his eyes pleading with her to stay from where he sat powerless to move on the bed. 

"Me too!" she said, she had seen too much and it made her that much more determined to go. "Good bye Max" She walked to the door, ready to leave but hesitated when he cried her name, she turned her eyes meeting his.

"I love you!" Max said his voice full of emotion. He held his breath, praying that she would stay.

It took all her strength to turn and leave. She waited until she had closed the door to let the tears fall as something died in her as she whispered to the darkness

"I love you too!"

And I will give up this fight.


	2. Part 2

Kyle let himself into his room or well Tess's room, as it was now know as. It was dark, the curtains still drawn even though it was three in the afternoon. Some crappy chick tearjerker music played in the background while soft sobs came from the bed where Tess laid hidden by covers. This had been going on too long, it was time to put a stop to it and he was just the man to do it. What was it about the male aliens that made all females that ever went near them end up crying. If Maria wasn't crying about something that Michael had done, then Liz was crying about something Max did and now Tess was crying over Max as well. What was so great about Max Evans anyway? Kyle couldn't understand, Evans wasn't anything special, ok so he was tall, dark and mysterious but how could anyone get past those ears? 

"Go away Kyle!" Tess sniffed from the bed

"I don't think so!" Kyle said turning the CD player off and opening the curtains and a window letting some fresh air in the room. "Hey, you're not a pile of dust. And here I was thinking that you had been turned into a vampire, what with all this hiding in the dark you've been doing for the last week." Kyle joked. He pulled the covers back to revel Tess. Her pjs were crumpled; her hair knotted and unkempt and her eyes were filled with the pain of heartbreak, sore and puffy from crying. 

"Vampire? I think you watch too much Buffy the Vampire Slayer!" Tess said 

"What can I say? Buffy is hot!" Kyle grinned

"Kyle, I am really not in the mood, I just want to be alone!" 

"Sorry. Can't let that happen! Its time for you to leave this room even if its just to get something to eat and shower because I hate to say this but you look like hell and you are starting to smell!"

"Thanks Kyle that's just what I want to hear!" Tess said rolling her eyes in disgust    

"Tess, I am sorry for what you went through but its time you get the hell out of this room. I am not going to let you drown yourself in self-pity. No way no how!" 

"Well I hate to tell you this Kyle, but if I want to drown in self-pity then that's what I am going to do! You can't tell me what to do! You are not the boss of me!"

"Right so we are going to do this the hard way!" Kyle said determined to get Tess back to her normal self even if it killed him

"We're not doing it anyway so you might as well go and watch football or something!"

"The hard way it is then!" Kyle said pulling Tess off the bed and lifting her off her feet

"Kyle!" Tess screamed, "Put me down! This isn't funny!"  

"I know!" 

"Kyle, you are such a insensitive jerk! Put me down!" Tess demanded kicking her feet 

"You're going to thank me!" Kyle stated hoping that he was right, remembering that he had to be cruel to be kind to snap Tess out of this phrase she was going through.

"I am going to kill you! Put me down right now otherwise I am going to use my powers on you." Tess threatened 

"Promises, promises!" Kyle muttered knowing that it was an idle threat, one that Tess liked to use every time she didn't get her own way. Kyle kicked open the door to the bathroom and walked towards the shower. He opened the door placing Tess under the showerhead.

"Kyle Valenti, I swear that I am going to…" her eyes were wide as Kyle's hand rested on the tap head.  

"What? What are you going to do?" Kyle asked, enjoying it more then he should be. 

"Kyle, I will…" Tess let out a scream as cold water sprayed all over her causing her hair and clothes to mould against her "Kyle!" she shrieked in outrage 

Kyle grinned, "I am going to leave you to get washed up!" he paused by the bathroom door "Unless of course you want me to wash your back?" he ducked out of the way of the soap that Tess threw at him "I take that as a no then!"

Tess rolled her eyes and waited until Kyle had left before stripping out of her wet pjs. She hated to admit it but Kyle was right. She had had a week of self-pity, torturing herself with 'what ifs' and what could have been. A week without Max, without his touch, without the sound of his voice, without his laugh, without his smile, without his eyes and everything else that was Max like. A week without it and she was still alive, she was still breathing. It was strange to think that even though she loved him she could live without him. But then again she didn't love Max that it made her want to die, what type of love was that anyway? Romeo and Juliet, a great love story but not the type of love that Tess wanted. No she would leave the star-crossed lovers thing to Max and Liz. It stung to think that right at this moment Max could be with Liz, touching her, kissing her, loving her that he might be doing all the things they did together but this time with Liz. It more then stung, its burned but it didn't matter, she had made her choice when she opened that door and walked out of it. 

But it didn't matter; what she felt for Max would never change. She would always love him, loving him made her want to live, made her feel alive. This last week she had cried enough to last her a lifetime as she grieved for what she had given up but she still had her memories and nobody could ever take those away from her. 

She had done the right thing, walking away that night. God it had been so hard. And when he told her that he loved her, it should of filled her with happiness instead it made her heavy with longing as she turned her back on him, each step away from him was harder then the last when all she wanted to do was run back to him and into his arms. But she hadn't. Instead she had run home, locking herself away from the world.

That was until today although without Kyle, Tess doubted that she would of left the room that had become her sanctuary.

The hot water soothed her as the sweet smell of her Vanilla shower gel clung to her, reviving her body and making her feel the best she had since _that night_. 

When she finally felt clean, she got out of the shower and pulled a big fluff towel around her and walked to her room.

Ten minutes later Tess ran a comb through her damp hair as she walked into the living room dressed in Kyle's football jersey and a pair of jeans.

"Feel better?" Kyle asked as she sat down beside him.

"Yeah." Tess smiled

"Good cause you smell better and of course you look a hell of a lot better as well. As my football jersey moved permanently into your wardrobe?" Kyle asked raising an eyebrow

"I think it looks cute!" Tess said looking down at herself

"No doubt there! Its looks better on you then it did me!" Kyle said with a boyish grin.

"Thanks Kyle!" Tess said smiling warmly at him while wondering what would he ever do without him?

"Hey there's no need to thank me I didn't do anything!" 

"You did more then you think Kyle so thanks!" Tess said leaning over and hugging him tightly.

"You wanna talk about it? Talking cleanses the soul!" Kyle stated

"Buddha?" Tess asked raising an eyebrow.

"Tess, you know that you can talk to me about anything right? I am always going to be here for you, whenever you need me!"

"Promise?" Tess asked

"Promise!"

"I don't know, I am just so confused but at the same time I am not, which makes me more confused. I just got all these questions running around my head over and over again and then these images. Images of _them _together. I just…" Tess sighed, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she searched for the word "I just don't know who I am!"

"You're Tess Harding!" Kyle stated making Tess laugh

"Yeah but who is that? Who am I? Nasedo was always there telling me who I was. I was Ava, Queen of Antar, bride to Zan. I was Max's destiny. And then we got here and Max was already with Liz and I found myself stumbling with only Nasedo to hold me up. He still believed in destiny but I wasn't too sure. And then I was only it was just me, I started to wonder who I was but never got very far before Max walked back to my life and made me fall in love with him. I was all Nasedo told me I was and yet I still didn't know who I was. I felt…" she paused her voice turning as soft as a whisper as she continued sharing apart of herself with Kyle that he had kept hidden, pretending that it wasn't there  "I felt lost but Max took that anyway, he made me feel whole and now I am just lost again!" 

"Stay right there!" Kyle ordered getting off the couch quickly and disappearing into the kitchen.

"Kyle?" Tess frowning wondering what the hell he was doing. 

"I know that me and dad aren't the easiest people to live with but we wanted to do something for you, to you know welcome you into the family." He pushed a small gift-wrapped box into her hands "Just so that you know that you're a important part of this family!" 

"Kyle, you didn't have to do this!" Tess said as she looked up at him where he stood nervously watching her.

"Open it!" 

"Ok, ok!" Tess said and tried to open it but it was wrapped up tight, she used her powers to loosen the tape a little.

"I wrapped it myself!" Kyle said proudly 

"I can tell!" Tess said ripping the paper off. When she finally opened the box her mouthed dropped open slightly in shock. "Wow! Kyle! I can't take this. Its too much!" Tess ran her fingers over the gold locket.

"Wait until you see inside!" Kyle said his eyes gleaming

Tess opened the locket and laughed, on one side was a photo of Kyle and Jim, the other side was empty. She smiled up at him. She was part of a family. "Put it on me!" Tess ordered getting up and turning her back on Kyle so that he could put the necklace on her "Thank you!" she said turning around, she kissed his cheek before hugging him.

Kyle hugged her back, holding her tightly "No problem!"

"I better go and put the garbage out!" Tess stated blinking away her tears of happiness.

"I can do that!"  

"Nah, I do it. You stay here and watch football whatever other sport is on!" Tess said feeling a little overwhelmed and seeing taking the garbage out as her perfect excuse to get everything together!


	3. Part 3

"So was it worth it?" 

Max looked up from his menu into the cold eyes belonging to Liz. The crashdown was nearly empty apart the odd tourist here and there.

"I'm going to leave you to it!" Michael said making his escape across the café to where Maria was. Max watched him go before looking down at his hands. He really didn't want to be having this conversation with Liz right now; he couldn't deal with it, not after having the week from hell to cope with already. He knew he shouldn't have listened to Michael when he suggested coming to the crashdown, knowing that Michael was lying when he said it would be good for him to get out of the house for a while. Max had only agreed to come because there was that small chance that he would see Tess.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Liz asked, her voice cracking. Max looked up from his hands and she saw pity in his eyes.  When had he started to pity her?

"What do you want me to say?" Max asked

"I don't know. I just wish everything was normal again!" Liz sighed 

"What's so great about normal?" Max asked a small smile played on his lips but never reached his eyes 

A smile graced her lips "We were happy weren't we!" the smile faded "what happened to us Max?"

"Where do you want me to start?"

"Max, don't act like what we had was nothing. Our relationship was never rocky like Michael and Maria's or confusing like Isabel and Alex's. We were happy! I just wish everything was hot it was before Tess came and ruined our lives. We were happy!"

"Don't bring Tess into this!" his voice was cold and hard like steel "She didn't walk away from me, she didn't leave me when I needed her the most, she didn't sleep with Kyle. And what you were saying about Michael and Maria's relationship being rocky look at them!" he pointed across the crashdown to where Maria and Michael were sat, whispering and smiling "And Isabel and Alex, well you saw them at prom before you run off to Sean! They're happy! If we were so happy why aren't we together?" 

"I love you Max!" Liz cried

"I know you do. I 'm always going to love you Liz but I am not _in_ love with you. You were my dream girl but you know you've got to wake up sometimes and Tess was my wake up call!" 

"Do you love her?" 

"Not like I loved you!" Max answered truthfully. Liz was his first love; he had been obsessed with her always believing that she would be out of his reach. What Max felt for Tess was deeper, she was part of him she completed him.

Liz blinked away the tears and nodded, "I should get back to work!"

"Trouble in paradise?" Michael asked as he sat back down with Max

"Shut up Michael!" Max ordered 

"Hey where are you going?" Michael asked as Max started to get up to leave

"For a walk!" Max said unable to take the evil glares sent in his direction by Maria or the longing looks from Liz.

"Hold up I come with you!" 

"I just want to be lone!" Max stated 

"Well you know where I am if you need me!" Michael said hoping it was the right thing to say.

Max nodded; he took one last look at Liz knowing that nothing would ever be the same between them again before he left the crashdown.

He walked, not knowing where he was heading or what he was going to do when he got there. He was lost in every sense of the word.

His heart was breaking in two as he walked, his eyes trained on the ground, his hands dug deep into his pockets.

He was blind to what was going on around him. Nothing was black and white nothing was simple.

He followed his feet as they pulled him towards the unknown.

Did it even matter where he ended up?

The only place on earth he wanted to be was with Tess, he had wasted so much time with Liz, never seeing Tess just pushing her away not willing to listening to what she had to say and then when he had opened his eyes it was only to lose her again.

He couldn't understand what had happened! Why had she left him? What had gone wrong? Was there someone else in her life? Someone who treated her better then him? Someone who loved her more?

He needed to talk to her. He had tried phoning her only to be told to get lost by Kyle who had become her guard dog. Max decided that the only way to talk to Tess was go straight to see her and if Kyle tried to stop him that he would kick his arse even without using his powers.

He started to walk with more purpose now that he knew what he had to do. He had to see Tess.

He walked towards the Valenti house, planning what he was going to say to Tess! He loved her, he couldn't live without her, he needed her to take him back and if she said no, well then he wasn't going to take no as an answer. 

Max felt his heart tighten in with pain as he looked through the front window of the Valenti's place to see Tess kiss and embrace Kyle tightly. He was going to kill Kyle for even looking at Tess. He moved quickly up the pathway towards the door. Kyle was a dead human!

Max's heart stop beating and all thoughts of killing Kyle were forgotten has he came face to face with Tess, the smile slid of her face.

"Hey!" he said, his hands buried deep in his pockets as he fought for control. 

"Hey!" Tess said looking down at her hands

"I was just passing!" Max said and neither of them bought up the fact that Max lived on the other side of town and was 'just passing' way out of his way.

"Not as good as you. So you and Kyle? You left me for Kyle!" Max spat out the words bitterly unable to control himself "I saw the wonderful display of affection, very touching! Nice shirt as well, Kyle got a thing about making his things?" 

"And here I was thinking that you were just passing!" Tess said her eyes flashing dangerously. Who did he think he was trying to accuse her of being with Kyle when he was all flash happy with Liz?

"You know, you're right. I wasn't just passing by. I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk to you!" 

"What is there to say?" 

"Everything! You just left" His eyes were soft but then harden and became cold "But I guess Kyle wanted you home. Does he know that you screwed me before you left? Isn't he enough? Just needed one last…" Tess hit Max hard across the face before he could say anything more. She couldn't believe he thought so little of her.

"Tess, I am sorry!"

"Max, don't! Just go home, go cry to Liz your soul mate. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?" 

"Don't use Liz as an excuse! Don't drag her into this!"

"Why not? You're dragging Kyle into this and he isn't even apart of this!" 

"Hey Tess what are you doing out here?" Kyle asked wondering out of the house "Max! Hey! I just leave you to it!"

"Kyle, wait! Max was just leaving!" Tess said dumping the garbage in the trashcan before catching up with Kyle

"Tess, wait! What about destiny?" 

Tess smiled softly "We make our own destiny!"  


End file.
